This invention relates generally to vacuum switching tubes of the type which have two contacts which can be moved with respect to one another, each contact having an annular member and a diametrical web which connects the annular member to a lead-in post. Such a switching tube interrupter is further provided with a contact plate in the form of a cylindrical washer which is connected to the annular member by projections emanating therefrom in a mechanically sound and electrically conducting manner.
A vacuum switching interrupter of the type discussed herein is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,430. The operation of this known arrangement is based on generating a magnetic field which is oriented axially with respect to the axis of the contact arrangement and counteracts a contraction of the switching arc in the switching of large currents. As a result, the arcs remain diffused and cannot cause heavy local burn-off at the contact plates. It is a problem with such known arrangements that, as a result of their being designed from a pluality of parts, such contacts are relatively difficult to produce.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to improve the producibility and effectiveness of vacuum switching contacts.